Saudi Govt Reviews Regional, Int’l Developments

King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
TT
20

Saudi Govt Reviews Regional, Int’l Developments

King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)
King Salman chairs the cabinet meeting in Jeddah. (SPA)

The Saudi government reviewed on Tuesday the latest regional and international developments.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz chaired the meeting that was held at the al-Salam Palace in Jeddah.

The ministers reviewed the Saudi Foreign Ministry’s policy work in recent days.

They were briefed on the message received by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, from the president of Sri Lanka.

The message tackled bilateral relations between their countries and ways of bolstering them on various levels.

The cabinet tackled the state’s efforts in serving the visitors of the two holy mosques and its efforts in completing mega projects in the holy city of Makkah and Madinah to facilitate holy pilgrimages.

The ministers hailed in this regard Crown Prince Mohammed’s launch of the infrastructure works and unveiling of the master plan for the Rua Al Madinah Project in the area east of the Prophet’s Mosque.

The project is being developed and implemented by Rua Al Madinah Holding Company, a Public Investment Fund (PIF) company that specializes in development, operation, and real estate investment in Madinah.

A part of PIF’s efforts to develop and enable promising sectors, the project is in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

The Rua Al Madinah Project will raise the capacity to facilitate hosting 30 million Umrah pilgrims by 2030.

The project will be implemented to the highest international standards in an indication of the continuous support from the Kingdom’s leadership to Madinah to consolidate its position as a modern Islamic and cultural destination.



Saudi Interior Ministry Enforces Penalties for Violating Hajj Permit Rules

Pilgrims are seen at the Hajj last year. (EPA)
Pilgrims are seen at the Hajj last year. (EPA)
TT
20

Saudi Interior Ministry Enforces Penalties for Violating Hajj Permit Rules

Pilgrims are seen at the Hajj last year. (EPA)
Pilgrims are seen at the Hajj last year. (EPA)

Colonel Talal bin Shalhoub, Spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Interior, announced that penalties are now being implemented against those performing Hajj, entering, or staying in Makkah and the holy sites without a permit. He made the remarks during a session at the Digital Communication Conference.
The Spokesman stated that anyone caught performing Hajj without a permit, or entering or staying in Makkah or the holy sites on a visit visa, faces a fine of up to SAR20000, the Saudi Press Agency reported Thursday.
He added that anyone facilitating these violations—such as applying for visas, transporting, sheltering, concealing, or otherwise assisting violators—faces a fine of up to SAR100000.
Fines are applied per individual violation. Residents or overstayers caught attempting to perform Hajj without a permit will be deported and banned from the Kingdom for 10 years, he noted.
Bin Shalhoub also warned against fraudulent Hajj schemes that falsely promise services such as accommodation, transport, surrogate Hajj services, sacrificial animals, or fake bracelets.
He also highlighted the ongoing "Makkah Route" initiative, part of the Pilgrim Experience Program under Saudi Vision 2030, operating at 11 airports in 7 countries. Launched in 1438 AH (2017 AD), the initiative has served 940,657 pilgrims.